Thanks partly to NIL, fewer underclassmen enter NFL Draft

The lure of starting a pro career early apparently isn’t quite as tempting for underclassmen now as it was in the days before college stars could profit off their name, image and likeness.

This month’s draft features 58 early entrants, the lowest number of players to enter the draft with college eligibility remaining since 2011. That includes 54 underclassmen who were granted special eligibility by the NFL and four others (Miami defensive back Kamren Kinchens, Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry, Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy and Clemson running back Will Shipley) who earned their degrees in three years.